Fika Ventures

If you’re looking for a distraction from political content this week… look no further… allow me to introduce: VC podcast content :) I was so excited to finally be on Minnie Ingersoll and TenOneTen Ventures’ LA Venture Podcast. She grew this platform massively while I was on the operating side and it was such an honor to have this be my first interview since returning to VC. Minnie and I chatted poolside in her backyard in Pasadena and covered a lot of ground: - 🚀Why I think distribution and GTM is potentially a greater early moat than product in an AI-native world - 1️⃣ Is first mover advantage still a thing?! -🕵🏽♂️ How I think about channel vs integrated product partnership dynamics and why most of them dont work! -💰 What is (and isn’t) exciting to me and Fika Ventures in marketplaces, supply chain, commerce enablement, and more - 🧐 Why we love investing in subject matter and domain experts at Fika more than technology experts learning new domains - 🤝 What makes our partnership and team special at Fika Ventures and how we think about working with founders - 🪢 and finally, why Pejman Nozad and I have more in common than I do with most VCs! Shout outs to friends and colleagues like Tianxiang (TX) Zhuo, John Chen, Gabriella Brignardello, Route, Michael Tam, Troy Henikoff, and more in this one. And most importantly, thanks for having me, Minnie Ingersoll!

🎙 Check out the latest episode of the LA Venture Podcast, featuring our very own Arteen Arabshahi in conversation with Minnie Ingersoll from TenOneTen Ventures. Recorded poolside in Minnie's backyard in Pasadena, this episode marks a fun and exciting moment as Arteen returns to the VC world. They dive into a range of topics, like why distribution and GTM strategies are so important in today’s AI world, whether first mover advantage still matters, and the ins and outs of channel versus integrated product partnerships. Plus, Arteen shared what gets us pumped at Fika Ventures about #marketplaces and #supplychain, why we love investing in domain experts, and what makes our team unique when working with founders. Tune in for some great insights and a refreshing take on the industry! LA Ventures Podcast: https://lnkd.in/geqWjdBK 🎧 Spotify link: https://lnkd.in/gXVmRJ_s 

Only Money20/20 can bring together the definitive power players in payment facilitation under one roof - let's get ready to rumble! In the blue corner: Middleweight Champions: William Corbera and Joseph Elias Phillips of Payabli (and Fika Ventures portfolio company) Light Heavyweight Champion: Richie Serna of Finix Undisputed Heavyweight Champion: Benny Silberstein founder of Payrix (sold to FIS for ~$1B) In the red corner: Stripe: Who ended up being disqualified from the bout as they no-showed for the photo, wha wha If you are an ISV / vertical software company still on Stripe, please don't DQ your company due to exorbitant transaction fees. Reconsider bringing your payments in-house and start monetizing them in 2025 and beyond. Your CFO will thank you!

Off the back of our funding news last week, I'm excited to share that at Hue. we are HIRING for founding engineers to join our team! 🚀 How you can help ⬇ Ask for my network: If you know anyone who's excited to join a fast-growing startup - please share the opportunity & have them email me at janvi@poweredbyhue.com with their resume and who referred them. JD below! Nicole Clay Sylvan Guo Holly Guenther Angel Catalan Elena Allison Noureen Shallwani

Last week we announced our investment in Hue. and I couldn't be more delighted that this was my first investment back at Fika Ventures. Working with founders like Janvi Shah, Sylvan Guo, and Nicole Clay on substantial problems like authenticity (and conversion..) in eCommerce is what makes this job such a unique privilege. We're just getting started, but they already have the trust and love of brands like Tatcha, Credo Beauty, and over 40 more household names. If you're a brand that needs authentic, relatable, and scalable video (who doesn't), they're the end-to-end solution for you. https://lnkd.in/gRu8JebU

🎉 We're excited to announce Fika Ventures has co-led Hue.'s $4.5M seed round alongside Underscore VC. Hue is set to redefine the online shopping experience, making it more authentic, inclusive, and effective for both brands and consumers. A few things that make us lucky to be a part of the Hue journey: Bridging the Authenticity Gap Hue tackles one of eCommerce's most pressing challenges: the need for authentic, relatable content that resonates with all consumers. In an AI-native era where shoppers crave genuine experiences, Hue's solution is a game-changer. Impressive Traction With 45 brands already on board, including TATCHA and Credo Beauty, Hue has already demonstrated strong market validation. Their ability to drive 5-25% increases in conversion rates speaks volumes about their impact. Exceptional Team Founded by Janvi Shah, Nicole Clay, and Sylvan Guo, the Hue team brings a unique blend of tech expertise and industry insight. Their personal experiences and domain expertise fuel their mission to enhance representation in eCommerce. Scalable Solution Hue's end-to-end platform for user-generated video content addresses multiple pain points for brands, from content creation to personalization. Their AI-powered approach ensures scalability and continuous improvement. Perfect Market Timing As the eCommerce landscape evolves, the demand for authentic, inclusive content has never been higher. Hue is perfectly positioned to meet this growing need. More from Arteen Arabshahi on why we invested in Hue.: https://lnkd.in/gcePdrnJ #eCommerce #videocommerce #poweredbyhue #beautynews #fundingnews

🚀 Exciting News from Hue.! We’ve closed a $4.5M funding seed round led by our incredible partners at Fika Ventures and Underscore VC! A huge thank you to our team, VC partners (Arteen Arabshahi and Richard Dulude), and clients who are all on a mission to turn real customers into brands’ most powerful marketing channel. We’re beyond excited for this next chapter. Onward and upward! Thank you to all participating investors for supporting our journey: 💜 - Fika Ventures - Underscore VC - Glasswing Ventures - The MBA Fund - Google for Startups - Heirloom ventures (tristan walker) - Courtyard Ventures - The Graduate Syndicate - Phoenix Fund Go team! Janvi Shah Nicole Clay Sylvan Guo Holly Guenther Elena Allison Angel Catalan Noureen Shallwani #FundingNews #WomenInTech #PoweredByHue #HarvardBusinessschool

Earlier this week, Fika Ventures brought together an amazing group of Bay Area CIOs and CISOs for an engaging night filled with insightful conversations. A huge thank you to our special guests, Rinki Sethi (VP & CISO at BILL) and Lucas Moody (SVP & CISO at Alteryx), for sharing their expertise and sparking discussions on the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity. Highlights of the Evening: Community: It was fantastic to connect with so many brilliant minds in the industry. Engaging Conversations: From emerging threats to innovative solutions, the discussions were both enlightening and inspiring. Delicious Eats & Drinks: The ambiance at Donato Enoteca made for a perfect backdrop to our evening of camaraderie. We’re grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event a success. Looking forward to more opportunities to connect and collaborate in the future! #CISO #CIO Guang Wang Gourav Nagar KiKi W. Vineet Edupuganti jen hsin Matt Hersh Karl Mosgofian Adnan D. John Donovan Vasu Kohli Edward Frye Bill Gambardella Oz Wasserman Archana Muralidharan Dhawal Thakker Marty Garvin Atul Tulshibagwale Erik Gustavson Scott Kriz

We are thrilled to announce that Moment Energy has been awarded US$20.3 million by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish the first UL1974 certified EV battery repurposing facility in the United States! Our Gigafactory, located in Taylor, Texas, will create 250 jobs and produce 1 GWh of battery storage systems annually, pushing forward the circular economy for EV batteries and strengthening the U.S. clean energy supply chain. Read more about our DOE award and plans for the Gigafactory in our latest press release: https://bit.ly/48jxcKH. #CleanEnergy #EVbatteries #BatteryRepurposing #Gigafactory #SustainableEnergy #DOEFunding #CircularEconomy #JobCreation #TexasEnergy #MomentEnergy

Sunday night reflections after a long week on my journey back to venture capital, Fika Ventures, and writing in general :) I’d love to hear what you all think of my pledge to founders. My biggest take away after a few years on the operating side is how much of our industry is built off of the combination of hard work, transparency, and a little bit of luck. As an investor, I can promise 2/3 of those 🙃 If it resonates with you, I’m committed to writing more often again and you can subscribe to my writing at the link in the comments.